The Journey to Idris
by Korina Carstairs
Summary: How would you survive in a zombie-infested world? Follow the Lightwood children as they chase after their parents, kill zombies and adventure to Idris, the only place safe from zombies. What will Alexander do when he meets a beautiful stranger? MaLeC! Slightly out of character. *T BECAUSE I'M PARANOID ABOUT SWEARING!*


_**I got the idea for this story from IzzieGS's From the Apocalypse to Idris. I do not own anything of this story besides part of the plot! Enjoy!**_

* * *

The Lightwood children had been born into the zombie infested world. The eldest child, Alexander Lightwood, was the first child to be taught how to survive and fight for anything and everything he desired or needed. When the second of the Lightwoods was born, Isabelle Lightwood, Alexander passed down his skills to her. Alexander was an advanced expert with the bow and arrow and Isabelle was an advanced expert with her whip, they were soldiers, meant to fight for their and other people's lives.

It has been nineteen years. Alexander is eighteen and Isabelle is sixteen. They accepted two new editions to the Lightwood family quiet a number of years ago. Jace Wayland was taken in when his father and mother were Turned and he appeared at the doorstep begging to be let in, and Maxwell Lightwood.

The children do not attend school since that was long forgotten when the apocalypse broke out almost twenty years ago. They attend training instead. Their days are always the same inside their 'safe' home, even without electricity and good living conditions. Wake up and five thirty A.M, if you didn't take watch; if you did then you go to sleep, breakfast and then train for hours upon hours.

What happens when the Clave, the new and improved military, has found a spot that is not infected with the Dead? It will all be taken away, in a matter of hours and minutes. What would the siblings do when their parents left them to go on the journey without them in the middle of the night? Will they survive, or will they not even make it a mile outside of their town?

* * *

**ALEXANDER'S POINT OF VIEW**

I wake up at the time I have always woken up at. Five thirty in the morning. Let me tell you something, none of my siblings or myself have done so much as step outside of our house. Not that you want to, actually, unless you want to be eaten by what used to be your next-door-neighbor or better yet…your goddamned cousin.

I throw the thin blanket off my body and set my feet on the wood floor of my rather depressing room. What you have, considering maybe the thing you're reading this on or everything else in your house, my room, let alone my house, looks drab when compared to you. I'm just lucky to have such skilled parents to teach us to fight and survive.

I walk slowly to my door. When I open it, just like every other door in this house, the lousy thing creaks. I notice I'm limping and I try and recall the event of yesterday evening.

"_**You swings are off, Jace." I complain to my adopted brother. He just smiles and swing at me again, in which I dodge.**_

"_**You have gotten better, Lightwood."**_ _**Jace admits and all I do is smirk. If I weren't born in to this hell of a world, I would have been a boring older brother. Not the one to be like this. When I was a child, I would read anything I could find. Thanks to Hodge, our tutor and trainer, I was able to read and I couldn't stop. I even read Izzy's journal when she was old enough to write clearly, and to this day, she has kept the journal and I kept on reading. I would look at the first page, sloppy and messy, and then advance through the sickening notebook to the most recent page she wrote, neat and spidery letters.**_

_**While I was thinking, Jace jabbed me with his sword and I fell helplessly to the ground. My hands immediately tried to keep a good distance from the ground and my face, but failed miserably because I was so high on my thoughts.**_

"_**Never mind my earlier statement, Alexander." A smirk crept onto his golden face. While I socked him in the shin, Isabelle busted trough the doors complaining, even now, that she broke her nail. My mother has kept things like nail polish and makeup from when she was younger and didn't have to worry about getting eaten so she would be able to pass it down to her first daughter. She accomplished that and created this vein young woman.**_

I roll my eyes as I walk towards the stairs. It's unusually quiet right now; I'm so used to waking up to the chatter of my parents and siblings. As I approach the scratched and chipped kitchen door, I could feel worry rising in my chest. Were they Turned while we were asleep? That was all I thought while I heard another familiar door creak from upstairs.

"Morning," I hear Jace mumble. I look at him and I think he could see the worry written across my face because he rushes back into his room and emerges with two of his swords. Though I am an expert with archery, I managed to be semi-excellent with melee combat. Jace tosses me a sword as he gets closer to me. Once he is right next to me, I push open the door roughly. We find nothing, not a thing.

"Where do you think they could have gone? They went to the abandoned store yesterday and returned with supplies for another two weeks…" I say with practical worry leaking from me.

"I don't know. Were they Turned?"

"I don't think so. You know if something broke in the middle of the night we would all be awake and downstairs ready to fight within seconds. Maybe they left?" I lower the sword and step closer to our old, broken dining table.

"Look at this, Lightwood." Jace beckons me over to him. He is standing by our broken counter with a dirty piece of paper in his hand. He hands me the paper and I read it with regret.

_Dear children,_

_We have left you for your own good. Do not be alarmed. If you really want to see either of us again, you need to come to Idris. It is located in California. _

_We are sad to say this but, Hodge has disappeared in the middle of the night. For us, he has only been gone for minutes. As I write this, your father is packing a minimal of supplies for us two, leaving plenty for you four and if you so happen to find other along the way. _

_Alexander, if you are reading this, take good care of them please. I want to see all four of you, unharmed. I believe in you four. You are all well trained but Maxwell might need a little help with his axe and spears. I trust you all will help him, for he is the youngest._

_Your father and I hope you make it. We have trust and strong believe for all of you and whoever you run into on your way. Stack up on weapons, clothing, food and essentials you will need. _

_Ave Atque Vale,_

_Mom & Dad_

When I look up, Jace is fiddling with a map. "Let me see that," I snatch it out of his hands and stare it for a moment until I spot a lousy handmade star in the middle of California. I put my index finger on it, "Idris," I say under my breath.

"What's Idris?" I hear Isabelle ask from behind me. I turn to her, sorrow filling my eyes and worry written clearly across my forehead. "Where are Mom and Dad?" I think it's just me but I can see tears welling slowly in her eyes.

"Gone…They left, they're on their way to Idris." I point to the star on the map. "We need to pack and then we will leave tomorrow morning."

"Alright, who is going to tell Maxwell?" I have no idea why, but we call each other by our full names majority of the time. Alexander, Isabelle and Maxwell; we guessed that Jace's full name is Jonathan, but he doesn't remember considering he got a bad concussion the night his parents Turned.

"I will," I mutter and push past her. I fold the map up and walk up the old stairs. I turn to Maxwell's room and sigh. He gets to sleep in an extra ten minutes, being so young but by his age; Isabelle and I were up at our usual time. I knock loud enough for him to hear considering we all have been trained to hear quiet noises.

"Yes?" Maxwell opens the door and stares at me with sleepy eyes.

"We need to talk about…um, Mom and Dad." He shuffles back to his mattress on the floor, just like all of ours, and plops down onto it.

"Okay," he says lightly, I clear my throat. I walk into his room and stride over to his dirty window and move the certain slightly. I see a small group of zombies making their way through the street. They don't move slowly like everyone thinks they do; they walk and run just as fast as a living being. Honestly, they would function just as well as a human if they weren't so…dead.

"Hurry up and say it. I have training, duh." Maxwell says. I can't help it but to laugh a little. I turn away from the window, letting the certain go and that blocks a lot of light so it's somewhat dark.

"Alright, Mom and Dad left." I blurt out, not even sugarcoating it for this sweet, innocent and little nine year old. Tears coat his eyes fast and threaten to fall. If he was a normal, non-zombie-killing child, he would have been crying.

"Wha-what do y-you m-mean th-they're g-gone?" Maxwell doesn't cry, though, he clenches his hands into fists and grits his teeth. I sigh.

"They left and we need to follow them. Tomorrow morning…we are leaving and going to Idris, it's in California." I start messing with my fingers, trying to be distracted.

"Okay," He drags out the 'y' in okay and continues on. "What do we pack?" I explain to him what we are bringing and what we are leaving behind.

"But our number one rule is never leaving the house without Mom or Dad." Max slouches.

"Mom and Dad aren't here, Maxwell, I am going to take their places." I say simply. "Come down for breakfast when you're ready." I walk out of his room and into my room.

I change into my day clothes and load myself with weapons. I stare at my small pile of books in the corner of my room, wondering if I should take them or not. I heard of things called 'bookstores' and I wonder if on the way to Idris we will run into one. I hope we do and I'm sure Isabelle is hoping we run into a makeup store or whatever.

When I finally come out into the hallway, I see Isabelle with her face smudged and smeared with dirt and dried blood. Just like the rest of us.

"Hey, when does training start?" She leans against her old door frame, folding her arms.

"Train with Jace. I'm going to go to the store a few blocks away." I shrug. Isabelle jerks from the spot she was in and grabs my arm.

"No! You can go without anyone else, plus, Mom and Dad went before they left us yesterday." She continues holding on to my arm.

"So, they didn't prepare for _us_ to walk across the country, Isabelle." I roll my eyes and shrug her hands off me. "I'll be back soon." I walk down the stairs and out the door, hearing Isabelle trying to call after me. When I close the door, I take out a pistol and hold it out in front of me.

* * *

A few minutes later when I'm nearly there, a zombie attacks me. I almost yell as its cold hands clamp around my shoulder and pull me to the ground. I shoot it just before the bites me. As it falls to the ground, gray blood pours from the new wound in its head. I get up and continue walking, no…I actually run to the small store.

The doors used to move on their own, Mom told me, but I never believed it. That is, until I'm stuck trying to pry open the doors. Once it is accomplished, I walk inside silently with my gun out in front of me, finger on the trigger.

I walked to a random aisle with miscellaneous things. From nail polish to hand mirrors and everything in between. I take two nail polishes I think Isabelle will like the best and a few comics for Maxwell. When I finish stuffing that last comic for Maxwell in my bag I hear a voice from behind me.

"You're alive?" a male voice asks me. I turn around quickly and hold my gun to his head. "Whoa, I wouldn't mind actually living through today, Love."

"I don't care. If I want to end your life, I will. State your name and age." I keep the gun to this man's head, not wanting to take chances.

"If you must know, Magnus Bane," he winks. "Nineteen years old. What about you, Blue Eyes?" I feel my cheeks warm and I don't like it. I clear my throat.

"Alexander Lightwood, eighteen years old." I lower the gun very slowly. "Are you here alone?"

"Yes, I have been for quiet some years now." He shrugs. "And you?"

"I have my siblings at our house but our parents left last night…to Idris." I say quietly. I bite my lip, waiting to hear what he is going to say.

"Oh, then why are you here alone?" I actually _look_ at this guy in front of me. He is tall, taller than me, and slim. He has to be at least half Asian from the slant of his eyes, which are a golden green color. He is a beautiful guy, if I say so myself.

"You like to ask questions, don't you?" I smile slightly.

"Sorry, the last human I talked to was one of my friends…Ragnor Fell, until he killed himself." He pursues his lips and looks around.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He shrugs it off.

"Here for supplies I see. Need help finding anything?" he smiles and crosses his arms across his chest.

"Um, I don't know." I bit my lip again while there is a short silence. I'm debating whether to take home Magnus or leave him here. "Do you want to come with us?"

"Where?" His eyes lighten up with a small amount of hope.

"Idris, it's in California." I offer a smile, he returns it.

"Sure," he says. "I'll help with supplies. He has an empty bag slung over his shoulders.

"Alright, can you gather food?" I ask, returning to find things my siblings would tank me for later. I look back at him and he nods. "Good," I walk further into the aisle and find flashlights. I almost gasp at the sight. I have only seen these things once or twice. They are in a box of six. I take it and slide it into my bag. I find some other things for Jace, Maxwell and Isabelle.

"Done, I have majority of the food left here in my bag." Magnus says from behind me. I nod.

"Alright, we will leave soon." I say as I put the last thing into my bag. Matches. "Here," Magnus looks up from the floor and at me. I toss him a sword and a fully loaded gun. He chuckles quietly.

"Thanks…" he says. "You do archery?" he questions me.

"Yes. I'm still good in melee combat, though. My sister is an expert with her whip, my brother is best with swords and my youngest brother is working with axes and spears. We are all, as our trainer said, advanced with gunnery." I shrug. "Don't worry, we don't leave until tomorrow. We can train with you today, if you want."

"Okay," he says. He looks behind me and his eyes widen. "Look out!" I spin around and see three zombies, standing side by side. I shoot the first two and the last one attacks Magnus. Not wanting to accidentally shoot Magnus, I yank a sword free and slice the zombies head off. As it falls to the ground, a smile makes its way on to Magnus's face.

"Yeah, we should train. Come on, let's get going." I say. We walk out of the store and from the sun, I see it's only shortly past six A.M. Magnus follows me. I'm so anxious to get home; I shoot every zombie we pass by. Even if I spot it from the corner of my vision, I manage to shoot it without looking at it.

"You sure are good, Alexander." He purrs my name. I think I should have a nickname. I don't like myself being called Alex…

"Alec," I correct him. He frowns slightly.

"But Alexander is a sexier name." he smiles when I blush. "Tell me about your siblings."

"Alright, the second oldest in my family is actually adopted. His name is Jace Wayland and he is seventeen. Then comes Isabelle," I say shooting another two zombies in the head. "Sixteen and blood related. Then the youngest is Maxwell, nine years old and he is the one who reads comics." I admit.

"Maxwell? Do you call him Max or something? And Isabelle…that's long..How about Izzy?" he smiles lightly as I turn into the yard of our house, I never noticed how huge it is from the outside.

"No," I admit. "We don't have nicknames." I shrug.

"Alec is a nickname."

"I just came up with it right now." I smile as I walk into the house. Jace is sitting on the floor with Max, who is reading a comic, and Isabelle is leaning against the wall. Once I open the door and it creaks, Jace stands in front of Max with two swords at the ready. Max has a spear in his right hand and Isabelle's whip is uncoiled, draping onto the floor.

"Wow, so many death threats." I hear Magnus mutter to me. I smile lightly.

"Don't worry, put your weapons away. I brought presents." I say. My sibling put them away. "This is Magnus Bane. He is nineteen and he is also coming with us to Idris." Max slumps back onto the floor as I close the door.

"Nice to meet you all," he smiles.

I take off my backpack and my siblings gather around in front of me. Magnus sits next to me, his backpack sitting by his knee. I take out everything. Nail polish, mascara and a small mirror for Isabelle. Three new comic books, a small notebook with pens and a pack of action figures for Maxwell. A stuffed duck, a pocket knife and a new bag for Jace. I take out his duck last and he almost screams at the sight of it. The rest of us bubble with laughter as he stabs it with a sword.

"You're welcome, now we have to train Magnus. That reminds me, did you two train with Jace for the hour I was gone?" I ask and tilt my head to the left.

"Yeah," Jace says.

"Good..Also, while I was talking about you guys to Magnus, he suggested that we have nicknames." I look at the three. "I will go by Alec now…Maxwell…um I guess Max and Isabelle…Izzy? Jace…you already have a nickname."

The three tell me that that's okay and me and Magnus get up to go train while Jace teaches Max and Isabelle how to hold daggers correctly.

"Ready for the next five hours of training?" I smile at Magnus; he looks at me with horror.

"Five hours? How?"

"Seriously? Five hours is the least amount of time we train for each day." I laugh and roll my eyes and we walk into the training room. It is one of the bigger and fancier room in our house. Though it is still messed up, it looks fine. Weapons mounted along the walls and there is a huge target painted in red on the farthest wall.

"Your family is hardcore." Magnus admits. I can't hide my smile right now.

"Go pick a weapon," I say.

"Which one do you think is right for me?" he asks me.

"Come here." I beckon him to me. "Let me see your arm." He obeys and holds his arm out. I run one of my pale fingers across it. "Crossbow,"

He smiles, "How do you know?" I explain it to him. He has strong wrists and shoulders. "Oh, okay."

* * *

A few hours later, Magnus is almost an expert with the crossbow. We move onto swords and guns.

"No, your swings are not angled correctly." I say and wrap my thin, pale hands around his. I can feel color rushing to my cheeks as I guide his arms, helping him slice.

When it's time for lunch Magnus is trained enough for the weeks ahead of us. Our lunch was simple and quiet.


End file.
